Anybody know anything about this guy? He is coming to Athens to give Dzogchen teachings in Athens in July.

Carlos de Leon

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As a Doctor in Clinical Psychology and Holistic Medicine, Dr.Carlos de Leon is a leading authority in transformational studies, consciousness development, and spiritual practices from all over the world. A practitioner and researcher for over 33 years, Dr. Carlos de Leon has extensive knowledge in martial arts, chi kung, meditation, shamanism, religion, paranormal phenomena, and many forms of alternative healing including Ryodoraku acupuncture, Ayurvedic medicine, Chinese herbology, Chi Kung, Radionics, Homeopathy and different styles of massage. Much of his work has been with some of the world’s most respected teachers, and has included the diverse areas of Tantra, Zen Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, Dzogchen, Mahamudra and Bon. In addition, he is trained in traditional native healing and shamanism in Mexico, Indonesia, Philippines, Korea, Thailand, Canada, China and Peru, as well as in various disciplines of martial arts with masters from Japan, India, China and Korea. Today, Dr. Carlos de Leon is a sought after international teacher and charismatic presenter; most notably known for creating Ontogony – a multi-level, cross-cultural and all-encompassing program of self-liberating tools and paradigms; as well as Ontogony Psychotherapy. Dr. Carlos de Leon is founder of the International Institute for Ontogony Research and Development, Vancouver (1991); President of the Association of Psychotherapy and Transpersonal Ontogonic Development in Mexico City. He has students in Mexico, Spain, Canada, Greece, Israel and Guatemala.Dr. Carlos de Leon has authored seven books: Dare to be Free, Time to Awaken, How to Choose a Spiritual Path, Biblical Meditation, The Hidden Pearl, Flow of Life (Ontogonic Psychotherapy) and Spiritual Psychopathology.

I wouldn't go near a "Dzogchen" teaching unless and until I knew with certainty that they had been given the authority to teach Dzogchen by their own Tsawai Lama-- and even, then-- only if their Tsawai Lama was clearly a master with pure unbroken lineage. Dzogchen is not something to receive teachings on from questionable characters. You don't want to make that kind of connection. This guys bio has a lot of color and mixes of various traditions and modalities.. but nowhere does it say how he accomplished the practice to the point of having realization enough to teach it-- and who gave him the authority to teach it. etc.. So I would be wary.

In his CV it says he is a Swami...so he is clearly into hybridizing things.. but then it says:

So you could reach out to any of these Lamas and ask them if they have given this guy the authority to teach Dzogchen, because he is coming to your area, etc. and see what they say. Until then, buyer beware!

Contentment is the ultimate wealth;Detachment is the final happiness. ~Sri Saraha

His other academic pursuits include PsychoEnergetic study, body-mind psychoyherapy, 32 years of martial arts training, 23 years studying Hindu Tantra in India and Kashmir, 23 years studying Buddhism, 25 years studying shamanism and healing, trained in Bali’s Shamanism, student of the Brazilian healer and Macumba King, Ivan Thrilla, Jewish and Christian Kabbalah studies, Eastern and Western esoteric studies, training with several Chinese masters in Chi-Kung or energy management.

His main master is Sifu Peng, Vancouver, Canada. And training in herbal Chinese medicines with Sifu Chow, Vancouver, Canada. Several spiritual lineage titles have been bestowed on Dr. Carlos de Leon.

32+23+23+25 ...

he has extensive knowledge in martial arts, chi kung, meditation, shamanism, religion, paranormal phenomena, and many forms of alternative healing including Ryodoraku acupuncture, Ayurvedic medicine, Chinese herbology, Chi Kung, Radionics, Homeopathy and different styles of massage. Much of his work has been with some of the world’s most respected teachers, and has included the diverse areas of Tantra, Zen Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, Dzogchen, Mahamudra and Bon. In addition, he is trained in traditional native healing and shamanism in Mexico, Indonesia, Philippines, Korea, Thailand, Canada, China and Peru, as well as in various disciplines of martial arts with masters from Japan, India, China and Korea.

Save your money ...

Sönam

By understanding everything you perceive from the perspective of the view, you are freed from the constraints of philosophical beliefs.By understanding that any and all mental activity is meditation, you are freed from arbitrary divisions between formal sessions and postmeditation activity.- Longchen Rabjam -

I ain't asking for me, there is no way I would go all the way to Athens and spend my hard earnt money on somebody that sounds that "new agey" to learn Dzogchen, given Namkhai Norbu is coming to Athens in September!

Like I said before, there was no way I was going, but I needed to find valid info to persuade others not to go. The fact that his CV is a little dodgy isn't quite enough. I was looking for (for example) warnings from qualified teachers about the guy. I mean he is completely new age, but what if he has permission to introduce people to dzogchen? What if he has realisations? He doesn't claim either (well I guess the fact that he is teaching is a claim that he has permission to teach) but there seems to be no strong contradictory evidence thus far. Opinion is one thing, valid criticism is another.

gregkavarnos wrote:Like I said before, there was no way I was going, but I needed to find valid info to persuade others not to go. The fact that his CV is a little dodgy isn't quite enough. I was looking for (for example) warnings from qualified teachers about the guy. I mean he is completely new age, but what if he has permission to introduce people to dzogchen? What if he has realisations? He doesn't claim either (well I guess the fact that he is teaching is a claim that he has permission to teach) but there seems to be no strong contradictory evidence thus far. Opinion is one thing, valid criticism is another.

The valid criticism that should be enough for anyone purportedly interested in "Dzogchen" in the first place, would be that it is considered such a tricky and easily misunderstood subject (both on the intellectual and realization levels) that it is absolutely essential that there is a confirmation through authentic lineage that someone is qualified to be teaching it.

If whomever you are concerned about doesn't really care about authentic lineage, than they are just shopping for labels, and would be equally happy with an imitation Rolex as an authentic Rolex. . if you point out that the diamonds aren't real and the gold is fake.. that the motor doesn't keep accurate time.. maybe they won't care as long as it looks kind of similar. If that is where they are coming from, there is not much you can do.

Contentment is the ultimate wealth;Detachment is the final happiness. ~Sri Saraha

gregkavarnos wrote:Like I said before, there was no way I was going, but I needed to find valid info to persuade others not to go. The fact that his CV is a little dodgy isn't quite enough. I was looking for (for example) warnings from qualified teachers about the guy. I mean he is completely new age, but what if he has permission to introduce people to dzogchen? What if he has realisations? He doesn't claim either (well I guess the fact that he is teaching is a claim that he has permission to teach) but there seems to be no strong contradictory evidence thus far. Opinion is one thing, valid criticism is another.

Gregory, his CV is not only a "little dodgy", it is the proof that he has no permission to teach Dzogchen. If he had, believe me, that you could see in BIG letters the names of his teachers! In the section: SPIRITUAL TITLES there is all info worthy to know: • Swami, lineage holder and main Guru of the Shaivist Anandanama tradition, Kashemere, India.• Swami and lineage holder Sriman Narayan`s line, Aghora Kaula, Calcutta, India.• Lineage holder of the Kaula Yoguini line as taught by Maa Parvathi Nath Saraswati.• Minister of the Christian Spiritual Church of Philippines, trained in psiquic healing.Then under the grandiose title: ADDITIONAL ACADEMIC EDUCATION, which can be easily interpreted as "the retreats he has followed with different teachers" you see some names, but this is nothing! If I make my own CV and write the Dharma teachers I have met and received empowerments and instructions, believe me that I am superior to him! Maybe I have to think it over and start a new business here.... So, since you have no real experience of Dzogchen (apart from some books), if you like to find a good Dzogchen teacher, it is better that you ask your friends J.Ntz. and L.G.. They surely can guide you.

Sometimes people-- often Tibetans-- ask me how long I have been studying Dharma. I am usually a bit confused how to answer.. because I began studying Dharma about 20 years ago. But that in no way means I was focused on Dharma study for each of those 20 years... although I could actually spin it that way if I wanted to be deceitful. I could say simply "I have been studying Dharma for 20 years", but that would be misleading, that would imply that I had been studying in the same fervor that a BA, Graduate student or PhD would have been studying. Certainly, my focus and intensity increased at a certain point, and has only gotten more concentrated. But I could hardly make any claims on a website about it and not feel like a fraud. Part of the issue was that for the first 10 years I was not strictly focused on Buddha Dharma alone. I also practiced in other modalities that I deemed complimentary. Towards the end of this period, I realized that not focusing completely on one path was creating limitations, and some confusion, and it was no question to me that Buddha Dharma and specifically Vajrayana were what held the most resonance for me in inspiration but also karmically and intellectually. Only after I took that leap did I really start to comprehend the depth and power of the Dharma.

So I have a hard time accepting this multi-tasking hybridizing biographical account with the claim that he has studied Buddhism and Dzogchen for 23 years and had time to do all these other hundreds of things at the same time. It seems more likely he has been to a few teachings here and there.. and has lumped what he heard in with whatever assumptions he has already come to based on the other traditions and teachings he has been playing with.

Of course, this guy COULD be a real deal global "rime" (non-sectarian) Bodhisattva that could help liberate all of us. But the self-aggrandizing bio paints it's own picture and seems to speak of something else.

Contentment is the ultimate wealth;Detachment is the final happiness. ~Sri Saraha

Carlos de León brought several Buddhist and Bon teachers to Mexico for the first time. Lopon Tenzin Namdak rinpoche is among his teachers, and the Bon Sanga (Garuda) in Mexico owns Carlos de Leon a lot, as Tenzin Wangual Rimpoche recently recognized in lopon's visit for the Consecration of the Stupa In Mexico.